we welcomed our little baby joey on august 15th. we couldn’t be more in love and smitten with him. even amesy is tolerating his cries, and endless diaper changes. he’s even been pretty good at sharing me with his baby brother. i plan to share a bit more about joey’s birth story. but needless to say, it’s been a wonderful, chaotic whirlwind. so, stay tuned!

let’s talk pizza. specifically this peach-y garlicky pizza that we’ve been making all summer long! this combination of ingredients was somewhat of a hodgepodge of things leftover in our fridge one saturday night/a medley of ingredients we frequently combine for salads and such. the first thing you need is a ripe juicy peach. i’ve tried this with a semi-ripe, not-too-sweet peach, and while tasty, it didn’t hit the right note (the sweet, juiciness is key here). but since it’s the height of peach season just about everywhere in the states, i doubt you’ll have trouble finding one. next, you need some really good aged balsamic. the watery grocery store variety probably won’t cut it in terms of the sweet, acidic drizzle we’re going for here. and lastly, a good pesto. if i’m not making my own, then a store bought version is just as good. for cheese, i go between a buffalo milk fresh mozzarella, or a vegan mozzarella that are both wonderful here (of course depending on your diet). and for the pizza crust, i always use my recipe for the best gluten free pizza dough, or, if i’ve run out, i use this frozen dough that is quite good as a backup.

this is our go-to friday night summer pizza pie and i only thought it my duty to share its deliciousness here with you before we say goodbye to summer vacation. i hope you get the chance to make it! happy end of august!

method

make the garlic-cashew cream. preheat oven to 400°F. cut the tops of the garlic heads to expose cloves of garlic. place the garlic heads in foil and drizzle over the 2 teaspoons olive oil. fold up the foil to make a loose packet, and place in the oven. cook until knife tender, about 30-40 minutes. let cool.

in the container of an upright (preferably high-speed) blender, combine the cashews, roasted garlic cloves, almond milk, 1 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons vinegar, dijon, onion powder, a few fat pinches salt, and a couple grinds of pepper. blend on high, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until the garlic-cashew cream is smooth. taste and adjust, adding more vinegar, salt, and/or pepper if needed. use right away, or store in a resealable container in the fridge (garlic-cashew cream can stay in the fridge for up 1 week.)

make the pizza. place a pizza stone in your oven, and preheat to 500°F.

cut a large piece of parchment paper and place it on your countertop. place the dough in the center, and sprinkle with some brown rice flour. starting from the center, use your fingertips to spread the dough out into a large 10-11-inch circle or oval (the edges may crack a bit, and that's ok, just pinch the dough back together). use your dishtowel, and place it on top of the dough, letting it rise again, for roughly 30 minutes.

trim the parchment paper below your pizza dough, and discard. (if there's too much overhang it can quickly burn, we just need enough for the dough to sit on.)

use a pizza peel (or cookie sheet) to carefully slide your pizza dough (along with its' parchment) onto the pizza stone. par-bake the dough for 6-7 minutes. remove from oven, and use a spoon to spread the garlic cream evenly over top. then evenly spread the peaches over the garlic cream. place in the oven and bake for 5-6 minutes, until peaches have softened. add your cheese of choice, then add dollops of pesto. bake one last time, until cheese is melted and crust is crisp, about 6-8 minutes. remove from oven and top with arugula. drizzle with olive oil, the balsamic vinegar; sprinkle some flaky sea salt, and fresh pepper over top.

if there was ever a universal sauce, green goddess dressing is it! while this isn’t an exclusively “summer” sauce, i love it best during the hot summer months. the yogurt, and fresh herbs lend a cooling vibe to each and every meal it graces. it’s creamy, yet light, and adds so much flavor, while not being overpowering. there are quite a lot of vegan green goddess versions out there in grocery stores and the internet, but nothing compares to a homemade version with your designated mix of herbs and seasonings; and most importantly: no weird emulsifiers or additives (as many bottled brands can have, unfortunately).

if you’re familiar with a lot of the creamy recipes on this site, then you’re used to me referencing this greek-style plant-based yogurt that i love for just about everything from making vegan labneh, yogurt-tahini, and this vegan caesar dressing. while you can use your preferred yogurt of choice, i lean on that greek-style yogurt once again here. to it, we add a whole bunch of fresh summer herbs, and squeezes of tart lemon juice. and in leui of anchovies, we coconut aminos (of miso paste) for a bit of umami flavor. it’s essentially a super simple list of ingredients for what results in a powerful little dressing that also qualifies as a sauce and dip.

green goddess dressing | v

in the cup of a food processor fitted with a metal “s” blade, combine the herbs, garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, mustard, 2 teaspoons coconut aminos, and yogurt; season with salt and pepper. blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container. taste and add more lemon juice, coconut aminos, and/or salt & pepper if necessary and blend once again.

once the dressing is to your liking, transfer to a lidded bottle or jar and store in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.

the ease of summer cooking (or lack thereof) is one of the most refreshing characteristics of the season. (especially right now as i’m hitting 40 weeks pregnant in the next few days 😅😬). take this salad and toast. not one thing is cooked (unless you consider toasting bread cooking). rather, we take the peak of summer produce, chop it all up, top it over crusty bread, and a big splotch of the creamiest, yogurt-tahini. it’s quite literally the simplest of dishes/snacks/appetizers, but by far one of the most satisfying. i love the combination of anything with yogurt-tahini, but when paired with vegetables it just takes everything up a notch.

i generally make a this recipe as my summer veg + yogurt-tahini go-to, and then there’s this veg + yogurt-tahini winter go-to that i shared a few months ago. the crispy veg, toasty bread, and creamy medley here is perfect for hot summer nights, a little date night situation with your loved one, a perfect nibble with your girlfriends accompanied by your favorite chilled cocktail. whatever the occasion, these little toasts are sure to brighten them up quite a bit. i hope you get to make this before the summer is up, it’s a good one that hits all the right spots!

yogurt tahini & israeli salad toast | v & gf

i have quite a few recipes on this site for a yogurt-tahini sauce. this one uses thick greek-style yogurt, but i also don’t call for water to thin it. i found that if it’s thinned out, it doesn’t make a thick enough nest for the salad to sit in.

i use a gluten-free boule from a local maker (if you’re in LA, i buy loaves by gjusta that are sold at erewhon, or gluten-free sourdough made by a local shop, honey hi. if you can get your hands on either i highly recommend them (they both also happen to be vegan).

1 gluten-free boule or artisan loaf of bread, sliced and toasted or grilled

yogurt-tahini (recipe above)

herb flowers, to garnish (optional)

method

make the yogurt-tahini. whisk together the tahini, yogurt, lemon juice, and garlic. season with salt and pepper. set aside.

make the salad. in a large bowl, toss together the halved tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, red onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, and sumac. generously season with salt.

spoon the toasted (or grilled) toast with a big swoosh of yogurt-tahini, then top with a big spoonful of israeli salad, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of flaky sea salt, and herb blossoms (if using). serve immediateily.

if you’re prepping ahead of time, store yogurt-tahini in a lidded jar for up to 1 week, and israeli salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days (drain off excess liquid from salad before you top toast).